Yosemite Valley National Park in California.

Free admission for a week at our marvelous national parks

Some of my happiest travel have come from visits to America's national parks, and I'm certainly not alone. But during National Park Week April 16-24, things get even better because admission is free at all 394 parks and special events are planned at many. Those events may not be earth-shaking but will give you a feel for the what the National Park Service has to offer. Here is a sampling:

* Steamtown National Historic Site, Pennsylvania. Short train excursions will begin on Sunday. These tours are offered on a first-come basis. For more information, call 570-340-5204.

Muir Woods National Monument, California. Celebrate naturalist John Muir's birthday April 21 with a quiet walk through what he called "the best tree-lover's monument in all the forests of the world." Phone the Muir Woods Hotline at 415-388-2595 for program information.

* Stones River National Battlefield, Tennessee.  Parks and volunteers nationwide are dedicating tomorrow to preserving America's Civil War sites. At Stones River National Battlefield and the Civil War Preservation Trust, employees and volunteers will fan out to remove exotic plants, trash, and modern fencing.

* Congaree National Park, South Carolina. National Park Week, National Junior Ranger Day, and Earth Day will all be celebrated tomorrow with guided walks, junior ranger programs and canoe tours. All events are free. For more information call 803-776-4396.

All right, let's get to the free part. For starters, many sites are free year round. But for 100 of the biggest parks, where admissions vary, the savings can be substantial. The waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. But they don't apply to other fees such as reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties unless stated otherwise. In addition, many national park concessioners are joining the National Park Service with their own special offers. To see them, click here.

And if you can't visit April 16-24, take heart: Other free days this year are June 21, Sept. 24 and Nov. 11-13.

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Trivial question

Only one country that begins with an "A" doesn't also end with an "a." Name the country.

Discover France shrinks size of groups needed for discounts

Discover France Adventures,  specialists in France for cycling and hiking tours, announces that groups of four or more can now get group discounts on self guided cycling tours that previously were only available to groups of 10 or more. The amount of savings increases with the group size. For example, on the Self Guided Provence Vineyards & Lavender Tour, the posted per person rate is 1,335 euros. If four persons book and travel together, a discount of 55 euros per person is possible, adding up to a group savings of 220 euros, or about $320. This offer is valid for bookings through Oct. 31 for the 2011 season only.

Worth quoting

"I had a prejudice against the British until I discovered that fifty percent of them were female.” -- Raymond Floyd

Book a package and save nearly $600

As we've said before, you often can save substantially when booking a package or tour. Here's an example:

TourCrafters, which specializes in Italy travel,has a four-night Rome City Break that costs $1,252 until May 15 and again from Sept. 1-Oct. 31. That price includes a round-trip flight from New York, the fuel surcharge, airport transfer, hotel accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, a half-day sightseeing tour, service charges, taxes and even an ice cream cone in a historic gelateria. (Air fare from other departure cities is additional.)  If you were to book these elements yourself, TourCrafters notes that you would pay $815 for air fare, $420 for fuel surcharge, $99 for airport transfer, $316 for hotel, $72 for breakfast, $49 for sightseeing, $62 for service charges and taxes, and $3 for the ice cream cone — a total of $1,836 and a difference of $584.

Fascinating fact 

The Dominican Republic flag is the only one with a Bible on it. (You have to look carefully to see it, though.)

A chance to win 6.5 million hotel rewards points
Best Western’s “Jumpstart to Summer” promotion kicks off April 17 with a chance for one lucky traveler to win 6.5 million rewards points. That could mean more than two years of free hotel rooms!
 Best Western Rewards members (free to join) who register for the Jumpstart promotion at www.bestwestern.com/jump and stay with Best Western three times between April 17 and June 5 will earn a $50 Best Western Travel Card, which can be used like cash at any of the chain’s 4,000+ properties worldwide.  Those who register are also entered in a daily drawing for a $65 Best Western Travel Card.
Then, those who complete three separate stays at two different "descriptor" hotels (a Best Western, Best Western Plus and/or Best Western Premier) will be automatically entered into a drawing for the 6.5 million rewards points. Five second prizes of $650 travel cards will also be awarded.

Trivial answer

Afghanistan, of course.

You want to check-in WHAT ??????????????????????

You never know what people will try to check in before their flight. Take these strange items that members of the Virgin Atlantic Airways check-in staff have encountered:

* A bathtub.   A woman passenger who had her family carry the tub through the airport at JFK expected the item to be checked in. It wasn't even wrapped or packaged.

* A pet tarantula hidden in a woman's coat at JFK airport. * A dead cow wrapped in plastic at JFK..  

* A bag of cutlery previously stolen from a Virgin Atlantic flight at Delhi airport.  

* A bag full of sand, sea and water. You see,  a couple fell in love on the island of Grenada and wanted to check in a memory.  

* A bag of soil and coconut trees at Grenada airport.

And how does the check-in staff react to such swell stuff? A Virgin Atlantic executive put it this way: "It certainly brightens up their day." 

Trivial question

 On what sea is Poland located? (Answer somewhere below.)

Funjet Vacations is having a Disney sale

Funjet Vacations says that when travelers booka vacation package to a Walt Disney World resort at a Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotel, they’ll save up to 30 percent for stays through Aug. 13. In addition, Funjet  will include the following when a package is booked by April 30 or  a $50 discount at Moderate Resorts; an additional $75 discount on Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts. Savings will automatically be included when booking a qualifying reservation. Click here or call 800-FUNJET-1.

Worth quoting

"I guarantee the flying public we will not sleep until we can guarantee that there's good safety in the control towers when these planes are coming in and out of airports." -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to ABC World News about several recent cases of about the several cases of air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job.  

A 2-for-1 Bahamas flight deal

For a limited time, The Bahamas is offering 2-for-1airfare or an instant air credit up to $300 for bookings of four or more nights. Book by May 9, and travel April 24 through Dec. 22, at one of 40 participating resorts and hotels throughout Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island, The Abaco Islands, Cat Island, Harbour Island and The Exuma Islands, among others. For a full list of participating hotels and to book the offer, visit www.bahamas.com or call 800-BAHAMAS. No blackout dates apply. Visit www.Facebook.com/VisitTheBahamas to find out who’s been there, interact with fans of the islands, and get information, photos and a free Island Guide.

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Fascinating fact

Finland appears to be the country with the most islands -- 179,584. But to be fair, the number of Canada's islands has never been counted. There are an estimated 30,000 islands along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay alone. 

Half off a second room with Florida baby boomer package

Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa in Jupiter, Fla. (of all places) has a Beach Boomers package starting at $169 per night.It includes 20 percent off the resort's best available rate, overnight luxury accommodations, daily breakfast for two, two-for-one bicycle rentals, a 10 percent discount in The Spa and Sinclairs Ocean Grill as well as daily beach chair and umbrella rentals.  Encouraging multi-generation travel, the package also allows guests to book a second room at a 50 percent discount, perfect for bringing the children and grandkids.  Call 800-228-8810 or visit www.jupiterbeachresort.com and use promo code BOOMERS.

Trivial answer

Poland is on the Baltic Sea.

Read this and  leave your flying fears on the ground

Recent problems with a Southwest Airlines plane have some people asking yet again, "Is  flying safe ... really?" The answer is, yes, flying is extremely safe.  Brian Clegg, writing in London's Daily Mail, puts it this way: "The statistics are remarkably reassuring. The risk of being killed in a plane crash in any particular year is one in 125 million passenger journeys. That’s three times safer than travelling by train — when did you last worry about that? — and 12 times safer than travelling by car. In fact, you’re more likely to have a fatal accident during six hours at work than you are during six hours on a plane." So stop clenching those armrests and relax as aviation expert Clegg clues you in to other things that worry some fliers:

* Wobbling wings are  normal. The upward and downward movements of the plane’s aluminium alloy body are rippling out along the wings. The tips of a large airliner wing  can move up and down as much as 3 meters (almost 10 feet) during flight.

* It's not dangerous for your ears to pop while flying. Ears pop because as the plane climbs and the atmosphere outside thins, the cabin is artificially pressurized to a level that is different from the atmospheric pressure we’re accustomed to on the ground. The popping can be painful, though.

*  What about turbulence or (shudder) a lightning strike? Clegg notes that "no modern aircraft has ever been brought down by turbulence, although passengers have been injured or even killed, either because they weren’t wearing seat belts and hit their heads on the ceiling or because heavy luggage fell out of the overhead lockers." As for lightning, pilots are able to fly around or above most storms. "But if you do find yourself flying through one, don’t worry. The safest place to be in an electrical storm is inside a metal cage — such as an aircraft."

* Suppose some clown tries to open a door during flight? He won't succeed. As the plane climbs, the cabin air pressure pushes the door outwards, sealing it into place.  But, adds Clegg, please, don’t try.

* And then there's the most worrisome fear of all --  getting stuck on a toilet seat. There's even a tale about a woman who pushed the flush button before getting up and was sealed to the seat. Well, it didn't happen.  Lavatories do use vacuum flushes but  the flush button is normally placed behind the toilet lid, making it impossible to flush without standing up.

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Trivial question

Which Central American country uses English Creole as its principal language? (Answer somewhere below.)

Kids, they're speaking your language

To introduce its new Kid Spoken Here offering this summer, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is rolling out lower child and teen rates, new kids’ meals, and a broader variety of family-friendly outdoor activities at each of its lodges and huts in New Hampshire and Maine. The greatest changes are coming to AMC’s Highland Lodge, where a new “big mountain” outdoor playscape and child-only Kids Club activities are planned. AMC has also lowered everyday lodging rates for children by up to 25 percent and added a new teen rate. The AMC's outdoor experiences for families and young explorers range from free walk-on programs such as beginner family hikes to more adventurous overnight hut adventures and other backcountry outings. For full details on AMC’s new Kid Spoken Here offerings, visit www.outdoors.org/kidsguide.  New, all-inclusive nightly rates at Highland Lodge, including lodging, dinner, breakfast, and guided activities, start at $356 for a family of four ($296 for AMC members) in private room with private bath accommodations. For reservations, call 603-466-2727 or book online at www.outdoors.org/lodging.

Fascinating fact

The Mediterranean sea gets its name from the Latin phrase meaning "sea in the middle of land."

Marriott hotel stays in the Carolinas start at $69

At selected Marriott and Renaissance properties in North Carolina and South Carolina, weekend rates begin at  $69 per night for Friday and Saturday stays, and weekday rates from $99 per night for Sunday through Thursday stays. Travelers must book by midnight April 15 to get the special rates, which are valid for travel through July 25. Those rates are non-refundable, exclusive of tax, and subject to availability.To book, call -800-228-9290 or visit www.marriott.com or www.renaissancehotels.com.; refer to Promotional Code ADP.

Worth quoting

"We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lost sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way."  -- Gloria Gaither

Everything you always wanted to know about lobsters in Maine

In Maine, Historic Inns of Rockland is featuring a Lobster 101: Lobsters, Lighthouses & Luxury package offered June 1-30. 

The package offers a two- or three-day itinerary including accommodations at a choice of four inns: LimeRock Inn, Berry Manor Inn, Granite Inn, and Captain Lindsey House, each representing the luxury component of the package.  In addition, the package includes:

• Two tickets to the Maine Lighthouse Museum for a self-guided tour or a special guided tour with a docent of the museum on Thursday mornings throughout June.
• A  guided tour of Rockland’s Historic Breakwater Lighthouse  every Wednesday at 10 a.m. (weather permitting) and  a copy of  the book “The Lighthouse at Rockland Breakwater Then and Now.”
• An official Lighthouse Map to all of Maine’s lighthouses and a driving map to six  local area lighthouses.
• The  Book of Maine Lighthouses filled with history and fun facts.
• Two tickets to Captain Jack’s Lobster Adventure Cruise where guests work  with a real Maine lobsterman (and a true salty character too!) and learn lobster lore.
• Two “Got Lobster” T-shirts.
• An afternoon tour of a working lobster pound followed by guided instruction in the best way to ea.t a lobster, complete with a freshly caught lobster dinner for each person (offered Monday-Saturday.)
• A Chocolate Seascape handmade by a local chocolatier.
• Two whimsical Lobster Hats.

 Two-night packages are $395-$745 (plus tax, double occupancy).  Book early in the month to take advantage of low season rates (high season rates begin June 15). Book a third night and get 25 percent off rack rates.

Trivial answer

Belize is the Central American country where Creole English is principally spoken. The other nations speak Spanish.

A carpet of flowers in Brussels

Europe, the affordable, fun and sometimes quirky way

Travel to Europe is slowly picking up. In fact,  the European Travel Commission is expecting to see 2 to 3 percent more Americans in 2011 than in 2010, as the U.S. economy bounces back. Hotel prices and other costs have been lowered in  countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal, and Central European countries continue to be highly affordable.  

 

But where do you find the deals? One place is  www.visiteurope.com, with quick links to European Travel Commission members’  websites.  A recent search turned up packages such as these:

Virgin Vacations offers a  Brussels and Amsterdam city break for eight days, with three nights in each city, rail transfer with reserved seating, and daily breakfast.  Land prices range from $509 to $589, but round-trip air/land packages are available ranging from $1,199 to $1,649 from New York (including fuel surcharges but not taxes and fees; other gateways are of course available). 

Brussels is easily manageable in a few days, with fabulous museums from Old Master paintings to modern art, surrealist Magritte and even comic strips, plus funky neighborhoods for shopping and night life.  Amsterdam, meanwhile,  is a city of commerce with canals, cafés, museums brimming with the works of Dutch artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, and Anne Frank’s house filled with historical exhibits.  The train ride in between is a classic European experience.  Visit www.virgin-vacations.com to book.

Sceptre Tours’ Emerald Isle independent tour features round-trip air, six nights' accommodation with daily Irish breakfast, and a weekly standard shift car rental for  $739-$1,129 per person, and offers travelers  flexibility to set their own itineraries.  First night is in a pre-booked hotel in Shannon or Dublin.  The next five nights are spent in  B&Bs sprinkled throughout the country.  Upgrades in accommodations and automatic cars are available, as are extra nights. Another option is an upgrade to a five-star castle for the final night.  Over 100 US gateways are available. 

Poland in One Go is an eight-day/six night all-inclusive escorted tour that covers all the must-sees for the first-time visitor, with extra treats for even a repeat visitor.  The $1,300 per person price tag covers lodging in Warsaw, Krakow and Zakopane, ground transport, an English-speaking guide and most meals. Highlights include the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising, a private Chopin piano concert, a Klezmer music concert in Kazmierz, a horse-drawn cart ride in Krakow’s Old Town, a cable car ride to Mt. Gubalowka, and visits to World Heritage Sites.  Land dates are June 3-9 and Aug. 5-11. Immediately following the August trip is the Simple Pleasures tour, Aug. 12-19 that visits lesser-known areas to experience everyday life.  A day is spent learning to cook  Polish dishes such as pierogi, and another day includes a class in pottery painting in a village where the houses are painted with floral motifs.  Other highlights include a  raft trip along the Dunajec River gorge and a farewell cruise on the Vistula River to the Janowiec Castle ruins, as well as visits to a 16^th century wooden church, a World Heritage Site, the Wooden Churches of Debno, and more.  Priced at $1,700 per person double occupancy, if booked with Poland in One Go, each package will be discounted by 5 percent.  Since prices are paid in Polish zlotys, the actual charge in U. S. currency could be lower, but will never be higher.  To book either or both packages, visit www.staypoland.com.  

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Trivial question

Which of the Great Lakes does not border Canada? (Answer somewhere below.)

A FASTPASS to see Mickey at Disney World ...

Walt Disney World  guests can now go backstage at Town Square Theater for photos and autographs with Mickey Mouse without waiting in a standby queue. That's the result of the first-ever use of Disney's FASTPASS Service for a character meet-and-greet. FASTPASS allows guests to reduce waiting by designating a window of time when they can return for a theme park experience. Town Square Theater is located just inside the Magic Kingdom entrance. Previously known as Town Square Exposition Hall, the venue has been re-imagined as a turn-of-the-20th-Century theater where posters proclaim Mickey as the star of a magic show.Ya gotta love it.

.. and an app to help you see everything else

The Undercover Tourist has a free smartphone app designed to save time and help you find attractions when visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Visit www.undercovertourist.com.

Tour guide joke (Bonaire)

"That reddish-colored tree with falling-off bark that you see over there is a gumbo-limbo tree but we like to call it a tourist tree because it is red and peeling."

Mother's Day spa packages at Donald Trump's places

A Mother’s Day Spa Package is being offered at  The Spa at Trump's  four locations across the U.S.: Trump International Hotel & Tower- Chicago, Trump International Hotel-Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk and Trump SoHo New York. You can  choose from two packages costing $299 each: a 90-minute Trump Classic Massage followed by a 60-minute, revitalizing Kate Somerville Dermal Quench Facial with a bonus Kate Somerville Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $494 value. Or a 90-minute Trump Gemstone Massage, combining gemstone-infused oils with flowers and herbal essences, followed by a 60-minute, balancing Kate Somerville Trump Results Facial and the bonus Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $504 value. The package can be purchased through Mother’s Day, May 8, and must be used by Sept. 5. A 20% service charge on treatments is additional. Visit www.trumphotelcollection.com/spa-reservations.

Fascinating fact

Lightning strikes the CN Tower in Toronto an average of 75 times per year. (Long copper strips run down the CN Tower to grounding rods buried below ground to prevent damage.)

It's a great time to go to jail -- for a tour, that is

The Missouri State Penitentiary  in Jefferson City, Mo., is now offering tours day and night -- as if it weren't eerie enough during the day. The landmark, which was decommissioned in 2004, charges $12 for a two-hour tour, $17 for special subject tours focused on specific themes, such as  the riot of 1954; $17 for two-hour Twilight tours; $25 for Ghost Hunt tours; and $100 for Open Paranormal Investigations, where you start with the standard tour and then spend the night at the penitentiary to investigate paranormal activity. Eeek! Visit  www.missouripentours.com or call 866-998-6998. 

 

Trivial answer

Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States.